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Friday, August 18th, 2017

Top utilities are spending a lot of money to elect Republican governors

Author:     MARK HAND
Source:     Think Progress
Publication Date:     AUG 10, 2017, 3:18 PM
 Link: Top utilities are spending a lot of money to elect Republican governors
Stephan:   The utility companies are wetting themselves fearing the end of centralized power and the national grid, as a result of the transition out of the carbon era. So of course they found pliable corrupt politicians, mostly Republicans, and they are going to try and buy laws that will slow the process down as much as possible, or that assure they will stay involved. Given the level of corruption in the U.S. unless something changes we may be the last nation in the developed world to remain centered on carbon.

Republican Maine Governor Paul LePage
Credit: AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The nation’s leading electric utility and their affiliated companies, along with top utility executives, contributed more than four times as much money to the Republican Governors Association in the first six months of 2017 than to the Democratic Governors Association, according to a new report.

Governors can have a significant impact on the activities of utility companies in their states, whether it is appointing members to state regulators commissions or developing energy policy. Most recently, Republican governors in Maine and Indiana played important roles in impeding the growth of clean energy in their states, UtilitySecrets.org, a joint project of the Energy and Policy Institute and the Center for Media and Democracy, stated in the report.

In Indiana, Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed a bill that shreds incentives for rooftop solar, delivering a blow to solar installers and their customers. In Maine, lawmakers failed to override Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) veto of a solar bill aimed at boosting rooftop solar growth. The actions by the Republican governors were supported by […]

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